I had a walkabout last night and the hole being dug for the car park is absolutely immense - I'm assuming this must be nearly done now?

Slightly off topic, I would suggest that following the opening of the new car park, the small service type road infront of Iceland could be removed and the lovely hedge-lined footpath and cycle-lane that currently runs infront of Natwest could be extended right upto Morrisons and the police station/new retirement homes. With a long term view to extendeding it the other way down to the red Lion.

I do think this 'boulevard' on the Solihull side of the Startford Road is the jewel in Shirley's crown. Last night people were sitting outside the new 'crust' resturant and it had a very continental feel to it. This should then be extended, encouraged and promoted to other eateries. It is a perfect setting opposite parkgate.

From today, some roadworks on the high street which I can assume are for park gate in some way? And on the main part of the site under the barrels are what look like manholes which would lead me to think this is the final level for the car park?

It does appear to be, but access to the legion is currently where the car park is going to be, so I imagine they are rerouting that before they can finish digging out the car park, hopefully it picks up the pace soon though...

Because I have been taking lots of pictures up there I have got to know many of the workmen quite well.

As far as I know this is due to finish around Easter 2014. They have decided to build the flats last and concentrate on the shopping area,
however none of the site will open until everything has been built (including the flats).

The workmen told me they have been taking 200 lorries full of soil a DAY off site (to build the underground car park), so I am not sure
how anyone can say it is going slow.

The road that CURRENTLY goes up to the British Legion building (next to Nandos) is going to be pedestrianised when the project finishes,
so to provide road access to the British Legion and Scout headquarters (and to the flats they plan to build next to Shirley Park) they are
having to create a new road.

This road will run next to the Saracens Head pub (see the 5th picture from the set above).

I assume the road works along the Stratford Road are to connect up maybe the sewers or other services that will be required for the new
flats before they surface the new road.

Once this NEW road is open, and cars can drive to the British Legion and Scouts headquarters along this new road, then they will remove the
existing road next to Nandos to allow them to dig the underground car park in that area.

Here are the plans for the underground car park. As you can see, it goes right underneath what was Westminster house, and underneath the
other shops that they knocked down the other side of the road (next to bookmaker Wilf Gilbert).

I dont think is going particularly slowly, people need to be patient. The demolition and groundworks, utilities etc... were always going to take a while, as they do with any project like this. Once these initial works are complete and ground level construction starts I expect things will move very quickly.

O cannot believe they will not be opening any of the site until it is totally complete (including flats). Surely they should/would want to open the shopping centre ASAP following completion of this phase?

Trees have been cut down and there is work under way outside the Powergen building

This is in preparation for the new roundabout / junction to be built where the Stratford Road meets the Haslucks Green Road.

I gather because the telephone exchange is just along the Haslucks Green Road there are lots of telephone cables under the road, pavement and grass in front of the Powergen building.

I heard there is even a British Telecom "room" below ground in front of Powergen where the various telephone cables are connected and routed. This means there is a lot of work to be done undergound, rerouting cables, before the road junction can be built.

I don't understand why they are replacing the junction with a roundabout, surely it would have been easier just to upgrade the road/traffic signals.. plus, that roundabout looks like the one in Hall Green and the one in Mere Green which tend to be traffic hotspots.

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I don't understand why they are replacing the junction with a roundabout.

Well the only entrance to the Parkgate underground car park will be along Haslucks Green Road (opposite those 5 bungalows which are to be knocked down soon).

The "old" vehicle entrance to the Shirley shoppers car park, roughly next to Nandos and the old Westminster House, will become a pedestrian entrance.

So cars coming UP the Stratford Road who want to visit Parkgate will have to go through the Stratford Road / Haslucks Green road junction to get to the Parkgate car park entrance.

So this means there will be increased traffic at that junction as all car drivers coming from the South, East or North, wanting to visit Asda or the Parkgate complex, will have to go through this junction.

I have no idea if a roundabout is any more efficient than sets of traffic lights, but I assume the people who design these things think it is.

p.s. Other work will also take place at this junction.

For example Jacey Road, which enters the Stratford Road in the bottom left of the picture above, is a terrible road to pull out of, particulalry if you wish to turn right onto the Stratford Road.

But traffic lights will be added to this junction to make it easier for traffic getting out of Jacey Road.

Is any of the Powergen building to be demolished during the new roundabout development.

Not as far as I know.

I think this site is still owned by Asda so I guess at some point it will be sold off and probably used for housing.

Maybe Asda think the site will be worth more when the Parkgate scheme is finished and the area looks a bit better, also if the housing market picks up
the land may be worth more.

I cant see any builder being able to build (and sell) all the hoses that would fill this site.

I have said before this Powergen site is potentially a huge site.

I am not sure how much Asda actually own, but here is a view from Google Maps where I have drawn round in red the extent of the site. There is a lot
more than that which is visible from the road.

As you can see in the bottom left it is a huge area of woodland and trees that looks like it is a nature reserve (I am not sure if there is any way into it).

You can get to it by walking down the unnamed road that runs alongside the bungalows. I have marked the route up the unnamed road in yellow
on the picture below. As far as I know it is a public right of way but it MAY be on private land. There is a car park round the back for people who
work in the buildings alongside Haslucks Green Road (you can see the cars to the right of the yellow arrow).

Mind you it is a bit creepy round there, an ideal place for courting couples in their cars, or those up to no good.